An internal combustion engine includes an engine block defining a plurality of cylinder bores, and pistons that reciprocate within the cylinder bores to generate mechanical power. Typically, each cylinder bore includes a liner that is clamped in place by an associated cylinder head and gasket. The liner has a cylindrical body that fits within the cylinder bore, and a radial flange at a top end of the body that supports the cylinder liner on the engine block. A cavity is formed within the engine block around the liner, and coolant is directed through the cavity to cool the liner. A seal is placed around the liner (i.e., between the liner and the engine block) to inhibit coolant from leaking out of the cylinder bore.
During operation of the engine, the combustion of fuel and air inside the cylinder liner generates heat, which passes through the liner and seal to be absorbed and carried away by the coolant. Over time, as engines are required to produce greater amounts of power more efficiently and/or with lower amounts of regulated pollutants, the amount of heat passing through the cylinder liner and seal has increased. In some applications, this heat amount is significant enough to prematurely degrade or even cause failure of the seal.
In order for engine components, such as seals, to be designed that can withstand extreme temperatures over an extended period of time, it can be important to understand the environment in which the components are intended to operate. One way to do this is disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0059690 of Svensson et al. that published on Mar. 5, 2015 (“the '690 publication”). Specifically, the '690 publication discloses an engine system having an ambient module, an operational parameter sensor, and a controller communicably coupled to the ambient condition module and the operational parameter sensor. The controller is configured to receive an air pressure signal from the ambient condition module, and signals from the operational parameter sensor indicative of a fuel rate, a fuel injection timing, a fuel injection schedule, an engine speed, and an intake manifold temperature. The controller is further configured to correlate the signals with a pre-calibrated map to estimate a temperature of a valve, a piston, a liner, a cylinder head, and a pre-chamber of the engine, and to monitor the estimated temperatures over a predetermined period of time. When the estimated temperatures exceed a predetermined threshold, the controller is configured to derate the engine.
While the system of the '690 publication may help to prevent damage to an engine component caused by high temperatures, the system may lack applicability. In particular, the system may not be applicable to cylinder liner seals, and may not be useful during design and/or selection of a seal prior to use of the seal within the engine. In addition, the system may not provide information regarding a damage severity of the seal exposed to varying temperatures for varying durations, and may become less accurate as the engine wears. In addition, the system may not be useful across multiple configurations or platforms of engines.
The control system of the present disclosure solves one or more of the problems set forth above and/or other problems in the art.